Ryanair moves to online check-in

Ryanair has announced that from May 20th passengers with new bookings will no longer be able to check in at the airport.

From next Wednesday, all new passenger bookings with Europe's largest low cost airline, including those with infants and checked in baggage, will move to online check-in and bag-drop only.

Passengers will now be liable for a £5/5 per person per flight online check-in fee, unless travelling on a promotional fare.

The airline is planning to have phased out the use of airport check-in desks at its 146 airports completely by October. Ryanair is introducing a 40/£40 boarding card re-issue fee to encourage all passengers to check-in online and bring their pre-printed boarding card to the airport.

Ryanairs Stephen McNamara said:

Passengers travelling without checked in bags have already embraced our online check-in service and the extension of this service to all passengers, including those with hold luggage and those travelling with infants will allow all passengers to forever avoid check-in queues. This will also allow Ryanair to lower our airport and handling costs and pass these savings to all passengers in the form of even lower air fares next winter.

Ryanairs web check-in service allows passenger to check-in from 15 days to 4 hours before, and print, or re-print, their boarding card up to 40 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time. Web check-in can be accessed via ryanair.com using booking confirmation numbers or flight details.

From next Wednesday, all Ryanair passengers will need to hold a valid passport or national identity card and the airline will no longer accept bookings for unaccompanied children under the age of 16.